USA Disability News

US Disability News Stories

American Health Care - United States health care is provided by many individuals and legal entities. Individuals are offered inpatient and outpatient services by commercial, charitable, or governmental entities. The American health care system is not fully publicly funded it includes a mix of public and private funding. The U.S. today spends more on health care per capita than any other nation in the world, in 2007, the U.S. spent a projected $2.26 trillion on health care, or $7,439 per person. Americans without health insurance coverage in 2007 totaled about 45.7 million people, or 15.3% of the U.S. population. Hospitals in America include for-profit hospitals, usually operated by large private corporations, and nonprofit hospitals, operated by county governments, state governments, religious orders, or independent nonprofit organizations. Out of 191 countries The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000 ranked the U.S.A. health care system first in both responsiveness and expenditure, 37th in overall performance, and 72nd by overall level of health. The average American life expectancy is 77.8 years.

What is the ADA? - The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush. The ADA is a wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability. Disability is defined as "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity." The ADA covers five sections, Title I - Employment, Title II - Public Services including public transportation, Title III - Public Accommodations including Commercial Facilities, Title IV - Telecommunications, and Title V - Miscellaneous Provisions.

Seniors - What is the retirement age for Americans? If you were born before 1938, your "full retirement age" is 65. The full retirement age is 66 for people born in 1943-1954 and will gradually increase to 67 for people born in 1960 or later. You can start your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, but the amount you receive each month will be less than if you wait until full retirement age. What does this mean? A U.S. citizen retiring today must be 65 years and four months to get full benefits. The oldest baby boomers, or those born in 1946, will get full benefits at age 66. The youngest, born in 1960 or after, must wait until age 67. More than half of workers start collecting Social Security benefits at 62 because the Social Security system encourages it. An American who retires at age 62 gets more in lifetime benefits, this is despite a 20% reduction in monthly benefits, because by getting more monthly payments you are paying lower taxes. If you are a United States citizen, you can travel or live in most foreign countries without affecting your eligibility for Social Security benefits.

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Further Information Regarding USA Disability News

National Council on Disability Monthly Bulletin June 2009
The National Council on Disability brings you the latest issues and news affecting people with disabilities. In this report, NCD offers information and advice to assist all levels of government in its work to establish evidence-based policies, programs and practices across the lifecycle of disasters.

State Experts Discuss Health Care Reform Efforts and Lessons at PFCD Event
The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) today held a Capitol Hill briefing to discuss comprehensive state health care reform efforts, why some succeeded and others failed, and why focusing on reducing the burden of chronic disease should be at the center of our national effort to reform health care.

National Coalition Hosts Event to Examine Costs Savings Through Delivery System Reform
Today during a Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease policy briefing on Capitol Hill, health care experts emphasized that making improvements to the health care delivery system is critical to address the number one driver of cost, disability and death within the health care system: preventable and poorly managed chronic illnesses.

Disability Activist Urges Obama to Escalate Stem Cell Research
Cody Unser, a 22-year-old student at University of Redlands and head of the Cody Unser First Step Foundation, commends President Obama for acknowledging in yesterday's town hall meeting the financial hardships of Americans living with disabilities and now strongly urges for rapid acceleration of stem cell research so that a cure can be found for paralysis.

HensonFuerst Cycling Team Pedals for a Cure
Led by team captain Thomas Henson Jr., the HensonFuerst Cycling Team will be riding in the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure in Cary, North Carolina, on Saturday, June 6, 2009.

Disability Discrimination by the City of Baltimore, Maryland
The Justice Department today announced it has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Baltimore alleging that the city of Baltimore's zoning code discriminates against individuals with disabilities by requiring substance abuse treatment facilities to go through a burdensome "conditional ordinance" zoning process in order to locate in any zone.

National Disability Leaders Historic Meeting at White House
President Obama invited CEOs from the Nation's top disability organizations, including Paul J. Tobin, United Spinal Association's President (www.unitedspinal.org), to participate in a White House briefing on the Administration's disability policy initiatives, and budget and recovery plans.

Center Aimed at Combating Infectious Diseases
Oregon Health & Science University and the University of Washington, along with a number of partner institutions across the Northwest, have received federal funding to form a regional research center aimed at combating emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases that pose a serious threat to human health.

United Spinal Praises Signing of Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act
President Obama signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act that will improve the quality of life for people living with paralysis and mobility impairments from any cause - stroke, ALS, spinal cord injuries, and others.

Time of Conception Linked to U.S. Birth Defects
A study published in the April 2009 issue of the medical journal Acta Paediatrica is the first to report that birth defect rates in the United States were highest for women conceiving in the spring and summer. The researchers also found that this period of increase risk correlated with increased levels of pesticides in surface water across the United States.

National Council on Disability Bulletin for March 2009
On March 4, NCD released a report recommending changes in the continuum of health care provided to service members and veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The report, Invisible Wounds: Serving Service Members and Veterans with PTSD and TBI...

National Council on Disability - Employment of People with Disabilities
The National Council on Disability (NCD) will conduct a news conference to highlight the release of a policy paper examining the status of employment of people with disabilities in the Federal Government and making recommendations for improving federal hiring and advancement of employees with disabilities.

Justice Department Settles Allegations of Disability Discrimination Against St. John, Indiana
The Justice Department today announced a settlement resolving allegations that the town of St. John, Ind., violated the Fair Housing Act when it denied a petition for a zoning variance based on the disability of a prospective resident.

AAPD Gala to Honor Emerging Leaders in Disability Community
Luminaries from the disability and business communities and government will gather March 4 to celebrate three emerging disability rights leaders at the annual American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Leadership Gala at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.

March proclaimed Disability Awareness Month
Gov. Mitch Daniels has proclaimed March as Disability Awareness Month in the state of Indiana. Each March, thousands of Hoosiers come together to celebrate diversity for people with disabilities - which comprise more than 1 million people statewide.

Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against the City of Dayton
The Department of Justice announced today that it has entered into a consent decree with the city of Dayton that, if approved by the court, will resolve the Department's complaint that Dayton has been engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against African-Americans in its hiring of entry-level police officers and firefighters, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII).

Stimulus Bill and Disability Funding Amounts
Fortunately, the Senate rejected the proposed withdrawal of funding for special education, vocational rehabilitation, and independent living programs. These are the highlights of President Barack Obama $787 billion stimulus package effecting people with disabilities.

Industry Leaders Discuss Accessibility Strategies at ATIA Leadership Forum
Top leaders from some of the nation's most prominent corporations and government agencies gathered in Orlando, January 29 - 30, for the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Leadership Forum on Accessibility, an annual two-day event that discusses business strategies regarding the implementation of accessibility solutions for persons with disabilities and age-related impairments.

McNeese State University in Lawsuit
As the nation discusses Governor Palin's special needs child and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008, Disabled World would like to bring to your attention an interesting case involving discrimination against the disabled by a public university in the deep south of Louisiana.